Kim Dannies: Lifestyle & Adventure writing

The Gourmet Camper
July 13, 2006

Camping is a wonderful opportunity for sharing carefree time with friends and loved ones. Tenting on Burton Island, a hut–to–hut trek, or simply sleeping under the stars in the backyard–any kind of outdoor adventure has the power to create fond memories. Good grub is a big part of the pleasure. If you have matches and fuel, custom–designed fresh flatbreads are just a flick away.

We freeze the flatbread dough coated with olive oil in a zip lock bag and use it to cool other pack items. It will thaw over 6 hours and then you can stretch it by hand. Place it directly on the rack of a gas or charcoal grill set at medium heat, or in a cast-iron pan or on a bed of triple thick foil for an open fire. Grill one side for 2–3 minutes, flip and then pile on the toppings: shredded cheeses, diced veggies, tomatoes, olives, artichokes, black beans and salsa, blueberry jam, butter and grilled mango. The stars are the limit. Cook 5–8 minutes more but watch it carefully– underdone is a little tastier than burnt. The breads are delicious hot or served cold for the next meal.

My husband, Jeff, and I still joke about a three-night backpack trip into New Hampshire’s wild White Mountains 25 years ago. More of a pre-engagement litmus test, he was pretty happy to discover a cook, a tomboy, and a girlfriend wrapped into one package. The success of our trip hinged on good planning: dry gear, excellent meals, and the small bottle of Kahlua I stuck into the pack. Each evening we’d sit in the cool river after dinner. Sweet sips of the coffee liqueur were scrupulously rationed for dessert. It taught us much about the wilderness called marriage: we learned how to how to share, how to budget, and, most importantly, how to savor… 23 years of marriage and still trekking!

Camper’s Grilled Flatbread
1 cup flour
1 cup semolina flour
1 package yeast
1 teaspoon kosher salt
1 tablespoon of honey
2 tablespoons of olive oil

Place flours into a large bowl. In a 2-cup measuring cup, add 1 cup of warm water. Add the yeast, salt, olive oil and honey, stir lightly and let set for 5 minutes until frothy.

Add yeast mixture to flour and knead dough by gently incorporating ingredients. Add more flour or water if needed to form the dough to a soft ball. To freeze, divide dough and coat each ball with a film of olive oil. Place each ball in a quart sized zip lock bag.

To use sooner: let the dough rest in a clean, lightly oiled bowl for 1 hour or up to 8 hours, or covered overnight in the refrigerator. Recipe makes 2- 10” flatbread.